Transportation from Anc to Whittier question

[crazycath]

What are the different ways to get from Anchorage to Whittier on sailing days? And can someone explain how the tunnel to and from Whittier works?

 

Thanks

Cathy

[NC-17]

just a little info:

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/virtualdrive.shtml

[Budget Queen]

Transfers- Alaska RR, ship contracted buses, independent buses, one way rental car with Avis.

 

Also definately consider a PWS boat tour, and don't be in a rush to get on your ship. It's fantastic scenery, way superior to anything you will see from your ship.

[crazycath]

Transfers- Alaska RR, ship contracted buses, independent buses, one way rental car with Avis.

 

Also definately consider a PWS boat tour, and don't be in a rush to get on your ship. It's fantastic scenery, way superior to anything you will see from your ship.

 

Yeah I think I will do the PWS boat tour with Rail.

 

Thanks Budget, how do you know so much about Alaska, are you from there? Or have you traveled alot there?

 

I appreciate all your posts

 

Cathy

[Budget Queen]

Yeah I think I will do the PWS boat tour with Rail.

 

Thanks Budget, how do you know so much about Alaska, are you from there? Or have you traveled alot there?

 

I appreciate all your posts

 

Cathy

 

 

25 trips since 1994, #26 in May

[crazycath]

25 trips since 1994, #26 in May

 

WOW How fortunate you have been. This will be my 2nd and I love it already! Are all those cruises or have to traveled there using other forms of transportation?

 

Cathy

[tacotam]

We are taking the Alaska Rail Train from Anchorage to Whittier. We will check our luggage in at the train station in Anchorage. Once we arrive in Whittier, Carnival gets the luggage from the train station to your cabin. We are taking the PWS excursion, which will pick us up at the train station and bring us to the ship at the end of the tour. It's all seems perfect and we should have an enjoyable day.

[Budget Queen]

WOW How fortunate you have been. This will be my 2nd and I love it already! Are all those cruises or have to traveled there using other forms of transportation?

 

Cathy

 

16-17??? have been cruises, some with interior Alaska on the same trip. The rest were interior Alaska only, including 2 winter trips.

 

I am fortunate, I travel 12 weeks/year- all vacation. A significant factor, is my husband is now, a retired airline employee, makes the world very small when you can just hop on a plane, also sometimes, extensive discounts in the travel industry. Add, easy time off approvals from work. :)

[shirleyt80]

WE also will need transport with our luggage from Anchorage to Whittier. How did you make all your arrangements? Whose PWS tour are you taking? These may seem like silly questions. I'm impressed with everyone's knowledge and hoping to learn from them

[shirleyt80]

who do we contact to make the travel arrangements Anchorage to Whittier. With whom did you book thePWS tour. Learning a lot from all the travel experts on this website Shirleyt80@msn.com

[tvaud]

We will be traveling in the opposite direction...from Whittier to Anchorage. We have been trying to find out how and where to buy these transportation tickets, but we keep getting differing answers. The cruise line said to book them through our TA. Our TA says to get them through the cruise line. I've read that you have to get them ahead of time...but where and how???:confused:

[crazycath]

WE also will need transport with our luggage from Anchorage to Whittier. How did you make all your arrangements? Whose PWS tour are you taking? These may seem like silly questions. I'm impressed with everyone's knowledge and hoping to learn from them

 

 

I am using a Northern Lights coupon ( http://www.alaska-discounts.com/Tours.html) and making the reservation thru the PWS (Prince William Sound Glacier Cruises - Alaska Heritage Tours)

 

The discount is the 4 hour tour buy one get one free and I am paying for 2 one way passages on the rail, with my luggage which they will keep in thier office while I am on the tour and they are close to the Carnival pier so when we get back I will get on board the ship.

 

I learned all this on this board so I am glad to pass it on, any other questions, jusk ask!

 

Cathy

[krogerlady]

TVaud, check out this link. I have read on here from folks who have used them that they do a great job on the transfer.

http://www.themagicbus.com/

[Budget Queen]

In either direction AND going on a Prince William Sound boat tour, the Alaska RR can be an excellent option. It does NOT work for the Esther Passage trips, if you are headed to your cruise however.

[luvlake]

TVaud, check out this link. I have read on here from folks who have used them that they do a great job on the transfer.

http://www.themagicbus.com/

 

 

We are using The Magic Bus for our Anchorage to Whittier transfer. They will be picking us up at our hotel. There will be 19 of us and Tim the owner has been very nice and gave us a great price. He called me back the other day with follow up info and was stuck in Seattle due to the ash. He was even working at this time!:)

[Kaece]

We're flying into Anchorage, staying overnight, taking the Alaska RR down to Whittier the next morning, and doing a PWS cruise before boarding our ship (Princess). With respect to luggage, the Alaska RR web site states that luggage storage is not available in Whittier. Any thoughts on the best way to have luggage handled (i.e. stored/transferred to the Princess ship) after arriving in Whittier?

 

Thanks!

[crazycath]

We're flying into Anchorage, staying overnight, taking the Alaska RR down to Whittier the next morning, and doing a PWS cruise before boarding our ship (Princess). With respect to luggage, the Alaska RR web site states that luggage storage is not available in Whittier. Any thoughts on the best way to have luggage handled (i.e. stored/transferred to the Princess ship) after arriving in Whittier?

 

Thanks!

 

The PWS tour office told me they would keep our luggage for us, I would call them and ask them.

 

Cathy

[Kaece]

The PWS tour office told me they would keep our luggage for us, I would call them and ask them.

 

Cathy

 

Done, and they confirmed that they will take care of it. Thanks! :)

[Budget Queen]

We're flying into Anchorage, staying overnight, taking the Alaska RR down to Whittier the next morning, and doing a PWS cruise before boarding our ship (Princess). With respect to luggage, the Alaska RR web site states that luggage storage is not available in Whittier. Any thoughts on the best way to have luggage handled (i.e. stored/transferred to the Princess ship) after arriving in Whittier?

 

Thanks!

 

Princess, unloads the luggage and tranfers it to the ship directly. Has done so in the past. Confirm this when this season starts.

[Falcons07]

We are taking the Alaska Rail Train from Anchorage to Whittier. We will check our luggage in at the train station in Anchorage. Once we arrive in Whittier, Carnival gets the luggage from the train station to your cabin. We are taking the PWS excursion, which will pick us up at the train station and bring us to the ship at the end of the tour. It's all seems perfect and we should have an enjoyable day.

 

 

Thanks for the info about Carnival picking up the luggage from the train in Whittier...how are they notified that you and your luggage are on the train ? We are on the Spirit May 20

[tacotam]

Thanks for the info about Carnival picking up the luggage from the train in Whittier...how are they notified that you and your luggage are on the train ? We are on the Spirit May 20

 

I think they make a pass at the station and based on your luggage tags, they will take your luggage. I would think they have a group of cruisers on the train for every cruise, since many of the cruisers take this one train.

[Kaece]

Princess, unloads the luggage and tranfers it to the ship directly. Has done so in the past. Confirm this when this season starts.

 

We spoke to Princess previously about the possibility of transferring luggage to it in Anchorage (at Egan Center where they coordinate things for cruise passengers taking Princess' rail/bus to Whittier), and then meeting up with it on the ship later that same day after our indpendent rail/PWS outing. The Princess rep said they cannot do that, as it constitutes some sort of security risk. After that, we didn't think to ask, and the rep didn't offer, anything relative to transferring the luggage post-RR at the Whittier train station, rather than pre-RR at Ancorage's Egan Center. We'll check back with Princess about the possibility of the former, which would be an ideal solution. Otherwise, PWS handling it should work out fine. Either way will solve it. :)

 

Thanks!

[sandrock22]

I also called Magic Bus from Anchorage to Whittier and they don't pick up at all hotels (we are smaller group), check www.anchorage.net they have lot's of transportation options for very reasonable prices

[COTINGEY]

We will be arriving in Whittier on 5/25. We will need to take either the Princess coach or Princess train to Anchorage as the independent operators cannot accommodate our daughter, who is in a wheelchair. Avis is too expensive since we need a mini-van (and sold out) and the ARR leaves too late for us to get Anchorage and then to Seward, which is our destination. Why should I choose one over the other? Any information would be appreciated about times, length of travel, etc or anything else we need to consider that I’ve not thought of.:confused:

Thank you, Robyn

[krogerlady]

Before you decide on anything, send the folks at the Magic Bus a letter and tell them your situation. They have several vehicles available, and I would just bet one will accomadate a wheel chair. Tim has been fantastic working with us and trying to get our group together so we all take the same transpo. We ruled out all of the other options in favor of him because you get one more "excursion" along the way, narrated, places to stop, pictures to take, a place to grab a sandwich. We were thoroughly impressed. Not the cheapest way to go, but after our incredible voyage, we didn't want to end the trip without getting in the last little bit of sight seeing that we could. Our flights don't leave Anchorage until after midnight.

http://www.themagicbus.com/ Ask for Tim